File 1407/1918 'Kowait Trade Reports. (1911-1930)' [‎9v] (23/746)

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(f) Education .—There are a great many schools
of a sort in Kuwait. The Arabs conduct at least
50 the Persians have 11. and the Jews and Christians
one eaeh making a total of 65. Of the Arab sehoo s
2? are for boys and 25 for girls These schools
are not under any control of the local Govern
ment. The curriculum in most of the schoo s
consists of reading and memorising the Quran.
The American Mission school gives the best
education in Kuwait, but its numbers do not ex
ceed 30. English is one of the principal sub]e t
taught.
(a) Administration. —Kuwait was founded about
the beginning of the 18th century by some settlers
of the tub, a sept of the Anazah tribe, over whom
the Subah family enjoyed predommence. It is
unnecessary to consider the early history. Su
to say that in May 1896 Shaikh Mubarak became
Ruler of Kuwait on the assassination of his brother.
It was he who raised Kuwait from a place of little
importance to a flourishing principality.
Under his strong rule it became a most attrac
tive place to live in to the Arab mmd and the popu
lation of the town nearly doubled itself. It would
be difficult to speak too highly in praise of his de
votion to the British Government.
Shaikh Mubarak died in November 1915 and
was succeeded by his eldest son Shaikh Jabir, a
debonair and pleasant man, whose mildness and
affability made him a popular Ruler. Shaikh
Salim, his brother, succeeded to the throne in Febru
ary 1917 He was a very different man from his
easy going elder brother, being a stern and bigoted
Mohamedan who hated Europeans and all modern
inventions.
He was much to blame for his quarrel with Hing
Bin Saud of Nejd and all the sorrow that it brought
to Kuwait, and in short did nearly as much harm
to the State, as his father had done good. He
died on 23rd February 1921 and was succeeded by
Shaikh Sir Ahmad al Jabir as Subah the present
keen on modem inventions such as cinemas, cameias,
motor cars, etc., and frequently dnveshis own car.
On the other hand he distrusts foreigners Euro
peans), and has a rooted contempt and dislike for
Persians. As a result he is averse to such persons
visiting his State, especially also as no amenities
such as hotels, etc., exist for them.
The present Shaikh like his predecessors rules -
personally and autocratically and as far as possible
avoids delegations of his authority. He however
has Qadhi, or Chief Judge who tries all criminal
cases as well as those connected with marriage,
divorce and inheritance, and a deputy in the shape
of Shaikh Abdullah al Jabir, a relative, who deals
with all tribal cases outside the town, and petty
magisterial cases in the city. The Ruler himself
gives audience to all and sundry, for one or two hours
daily in the market place, and there decides im
portant cases and appeals, by direct judgment.
Should a commercial dispute come before him,
he refers it for enquiry and decision to a standing
There is a tendency for the Ruler and his family,
though not his people, to look to Iraq for inspira
tion where reform and progress is concerned. This
is undoubtedly a mistake, as Kuwait’s spiritual
home connections and ideas are and should be with
Nejd.
Currency.
Kuwait has no currency of its own. Indian
rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. and smaller coins are used in the town, and
accounts are kept in Indian Currency : but Maria
Theresa Dollars are used for all dealings with the
desert. The value of Maria Theresa Dollars averaged
£7-12-0 per 100 dollars during the period under
review.
—The conversion of the trade figures in this report
is made at the rate of Rs. 15 per pound throughout.
He is a pleasant man of much the same type
as his father. His bluff jovial manners make, him
an eminently suitable person for his position in so
far as the ceremonial part of his duties are con
cerned. He is very energetic, a keen sportsman,
fond of residing in the desert, but does not possess
any particular'strength of character. He is cer
tainly a right minded man and would normally
always like to do the right thing, but he is swayed
by his advisers who are not always as scrupulous
as they might be. He is a strict Muslim, and is
zealous in the enforcement of the prohibition against
strong liquor, opium, etc., and also in the suppression
of prostitution. He is a non-smoker. He is un
questionably well disposed towards the British,
and is fond of entertaining in English style. He is
Weights and Measures.
The ordinary unit of weight is the Waqiyah of
which there are three kinds : viz., one of 4 lbs. 10-22
ozs., another of 4 lbs. 15-168 ozs., and a third of 9
lbs. 4-44 ozs., being respectively the weight of 75,
80 and 150 Maria Theresa Dollars, on which coin
rhe Waqiyah is based. The Waqiyah of 4 lbs.
15-168 ozs. is only used by the local Customs for
imports from the desert and that of 9 lbs. 4-44 ozs.,
only for the sale of fish, and beyond this mention
of them no further notice will be taken of them
here. The Waqiyah of 4 lbs. 10-22 ozs. is used by
the local Customs for sea imports, and is universaily
used in the town. A larger weight is the mann